Le Cercle
Encyclopedia
Le Cercle is a foreign policy
think-tank specialising in international security. Set up after World War II
, the group has members from twenty-five countries and meets at least bi-annually, in Washington, D.C.
The group's current chairman is Norman Lamont, former British Chancellor of the Exchequer
. Lamont worked at Rothschild
's.
and French intelligence agent Jean Violet under the name 'Cercle Pinay'.
In later years, the British
took over the chairmanship of Le Cercle.
Le Cercle has operated in almost complete anonymity since its creation with only a handful of articles having been written about it. As of this writing, no American sources have been identified. The Cercle was mentioned in the early 1980s by Der Spiegel
in Germany as a result of the controversy surrounding Franz Josef Strauß
, one of the regular attendants of the Cercle. In the late 1990s, the Cercle received some attention after a scandal had broken out involving Jonathan Aitken
, at the time chairman of Le Cercle. Members that were contacted by newspapers refused to answer any questions about the group and sometimes simply put down the phone.
contributed a lump sum of £30,000. The Ford Foundation
also donated £20,000 over three years.
Foreign policy
A country's foreign policy, also called the foreign relations policy, consists of self-interest strategies chosen by the state to safeguard its national interests and to achieve its goals within international relations milieu. The approaches are strategically employed to interact with other countries...
think-tank specialising in international security. Set up after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the group has members from twenty-five countries and meets at least bi-annually, in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
The group's current chairman is Norman Lamont, former British Chancellor of the Exchequer
Chancellor of the Exchequer
The Chancellor of the Exchequer is the title held by the British Cabinet minister who is responsible for all economic and financial matters. Often simply called the Chancellor, the office-holder controls HM Treasury and plays a role akin to the posts of Minister of Finance or Secretary of the...
. Lamont worked at Rothschild
N M Rothschild & Sons
N M Rothschild & Sons is a private investment banking company, belonging to the Rothschild family...
's.
History
At some point in the 1950s, Le Cercle was established by former French prime minister Antoine PinayAntoine Pinay
Antoine Pinay |Rhône]], France – 13 December 1994) was a French conservative politician. He served as Prime Minister of France in 1952.-Life:As a young man, Pinay fought in World War I and injured his arm so that it was paralyzed for the rest of his life....
and French intelligence agent Jean Violet under the name 'Cercle Pinay'.
In later years, the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
took over the chairmanship of Le Cercle.
Le Cercle has operated in almost complete anonymity since its creation with only a handful of articles having been written about it. As of this writing, no American sources have been identified. The Cercle was mentioned in the early 1980s by Der Spiegel
Der Spiegel
Der Spiegel is a German weekly news magazine published in Hamburg. It is one of Europe's largest publications of its kind, with a weekly circulation of more than one million.-Overview:...
in Germany as a result of the controversy surrounding Franz Josef Strauß
Franz Josef Strauß
Franz Josef Strauss was a German politician. He was the leader of the Christian Social Union, member of the federal cabinet in different positions and long-time minister-president of the state of Bavaria....
, one of the regular attendants of the Cercle. In the late 1990s, the Cercle received some attention after a scandal had broken out involving Jonathan Aitken
Jonathan Aitken
Jonathan William Patrick Aitken is a former Conservative Member of Parliament in the United Kingdom, and British government minister. He was convicted of perjury in 1999 and received an 18-month prison sentence, of which he served seven months...
, at the time chairman of Le Cercle. Members that were contacted by newspapers refused to answer any questions about the group and sometimes simply put down the phone.
Funding
In 1971, ShellRoyal Dutch Shell
Royal Dutch Shell plc , commonly known as Shell, is a global oil and gas company headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands and with its registered office in London, United Kingdom. It is the fifth-largest company in the world according to a composite measure by Forbes magazine and one of the six...
contributed a lump sum of £30,000. The Ford Foundation
Ford Foundation
The Ford Foundation is a private foundation incorporated in Michigan and based in New York City created to fund programs that were chartered in 1936 by Edsel Ford and Henry Ford....
also donated £20,000 over three years.
External links
- Transcript of presentation to Le Cercle by Turki bin Faisal Al Saud (from www.globalsecurity.org)
- Aitken dropped by the Right's secret club by Chris Blackhurst (from www.independent.co.uk)
- First Cercle documents ever: Photocopies of membership lists by Joël van der Reijden (ISGP, October 26, 2011)